


Come and Lay by my side

by Aqua_blue12



Category: Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)
Genre: Best Friends, Eventual Smut, Fix-It, Friends to Lovers, Glacial Burn, I mean it, Slow Burn, fuck tuberculosis, i love them both so much, im great at tagging, its true, slow as fuck lads, this is to help my heart, when i say eventual lads, who even is she?, yeehaw
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-06
Updated: 2019-02-09
Packaged: 2019-10-23 14:07:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,836
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17684909
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aqua_blue12/pseuds/Aqua_blue12
Summary: Arthur Morgan never contracted tuberculosis, yet, he still had to navigate the murky waters of Beaver Hollow, betrayal and leaving folk for dead. Maybe he would live past 1899, after all.





	1. Too many goddamn O'Driscolls

**Author's Note:**

> yeehaw fellers, my first fic in like 7 years lmao. have fun with it, i had fun writing it. review if you want, i live for comments.

Arthur flicked the ash off his cigarette, another pleasant day at Beaver Hollow. He had a couple things to do, well… what Dutch _wanted_ him to do anyway. Whether he would or not, remains to be seen. Micah, the two fella’s he brought with him, John, Sadie, Javier and Dutch. The rest were dead or out. He saw Sadie practicing throwing knives, John was reading to Jack, the rest were sitting around a table, planning the next job or to kill them in their sleep, to be honest… Arthur wouldn’t be surprised at the latter anymore. It pained him to think that, but it was the truth, these days. He threw the cigarette on the damp ground.

“Morgan,” Micah sneered from behind him. He had left the others.

Arthur rolled his eyes, turning around to meet Micah. “What you want?”

“What’s got you by the balls, Arthur. Thought you were meant to pay respect to people higher than you.”

Arthur’s jaw clenched at that remark yet he refused to give Micah satisfaction, “Whatever you say, Micah.”

Arthur stuffed his hands in his jacket pocket and walked over to Sadie, “Mornin’.”

Sadie stopped throwing the knives at the tree to look at him, “You okay?”

Arthur grinned, yet his eyes were full of pain and treachery, “Just fine, It’s only Micah bein’ Micah.”

Sadie furrowed her brows, “You sure?”

Arthur let the façade down a bit, “No, I ain’t sure.”

Sadie readjusted the grip on her knife, “You still workin’?”

Arthur scoffed, “Is anyone still working?” He looked on at the sorry excuse for a camp. “The whole goddamn place full of people, bickering, and fighting and lying. It makes me… real sad.” Arthur leant against the tree, opposite Sadie.

She nodded, “I know. I need someone to ride with me.”

“To do what?”

Sadie scowled, but not at Arthur, “To finish off them O’Driscolls. I hear the last of ‘em is holed up at Hanging Dog Ranch.”

Arthur scratched the back of his head, “You sure about this, Sadie? Revenge ain’t ever worth it, even if you think it will help.” Arthur said it knowingly, Sadie noticed this but didn’t comment on it. “I saw Colm swing, I… I just don’t care.”

Sadie furrowed her brows, “I was a married woman, Arthur. You know what they did to me… and to my husband.” Sadie looked back at Arthur with a pain he had never seen in her eyes before. “Look, you’re the only one of these fools that I trust… I’ve gotta do this.”

Arthur was grateful for Sadie’s words, walking closer to the woman. “I’ll tell you what, I’ll do it… but there’s something you could help me with.” Arthur looked Sadie in the eye, “Abigail, Jack, John. Help me make sure they make it,” Arthur gestured towards the camp, “I mean this whole thing is pretty much done… but… but when the time comes.”

Sadie was confused, confused at Arthur’s entire disregard for himself, “But how do you mean?”

“When the time comes, we help them.”

Sadie repeated herself. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, come with me to help them escape when this…” Arthur stopped himself, it was almost too hard to say.

“You know, you and me? We’re more ghosts than people, but them… they, they could.”

Sadie cut him off, “I know. Of course I will.” Sadie put her hand on Arthur’s arm, “Thank you, Arthur. You wanna ride with me now or meet me up at hanging dog ranch when you can?”

Arthur grinned, whistling for Hercules, Sadie let out a small smile too, “Thanks, Arthur.”

Hercules came trotting over to Arthur, who got on the horse, gladly. Sadie took lead and Arthur was happy to follow her. As they left camp, Arthur could have sworn he saw a golden buck, grazing in the distance.

~

Arthur was woken up by Sadie just outside the ranch, he rubbed the back of his neck and got up, looking for his canteen. He took a sip, “Fine morning for a killing.”

Sadie looked back at him, rifle over her shoulder, “Hey.”

Arthur quickly got up, putting on his hat, “You see anything down there?”

“Yeah, I think there’s a bunch of them down there… and mostly drunk. But one of them, he’s a fat feller with a beard, him… he’s mine.” Sadie’s look turned venomous.

Arthur rubbed his eyes, “Okay.” He checked behind his tent for the Litchfield repeater he brought, things were gonna get messy.

Sadie briefed him as they walked towards the ranch, “It’s a big ranch… run down… lots of folk there, but spread pretty thin. I’ll set it off and then we’ll… we’ll take it from there.”

Arthur chuckled, despite the situation they were in, “’Take it from there?’ Okay. So… no real plan, then?”

“Oh, I got a plan.” Sadie threw a fire bottle, “Come on. Let’s finish this.

Sadie ran in, Arthur behind her, “Die you bastards!”

Arthur shot two people by the gate and another hiding behind some barrels. The ranch was bustling with movement, O’Driscolls coming out everywhere. Men were on rooftops, behind fences, some were even on horses. This would be a bloody fight, everyone there knew that.

“This is it.” Arthur muttered to himself as he ran past the gate, flinging himself behind wooden planks. The guns were still raging on but Arthur could tell that the O’Driscolls numbers were dwindling, Sadie killing multiple every couple of seconds. A man tried to be sneaky and shoot him from one of the barn’s lower windows, but Arthur capped him with his repeater quickly. The gun could do some amount of damage, Arthur could feel the power in the recoil. Some of the O’Driscolls shouted how Arthur and Sadie were running with Dutch, not that it did them much use as they crumpled to the dirt, dead. Normally Arthur would feel bad about killing this many folks, but it was for Sadie, and they were O’Driscolls after all, although Kieran was proof that not all of them were bad.

Sadie shouted to him, “Bastard in the hayloft! He’s got a scope on that rifle!”

Arthur quickly looked up and saw the man, gun in hand. It seemed as if time has completely slowed for Arthur as he quickly took aim with his repeater and hit the bastard in the stomach and shoulder, killing the O’Driscoll instantly. Arthur felt Sadie’s pain as she shouted to the men about how they ruined her and Jake’s life.

“You killed my husband… you burned our farm… you stole my life!” She cried out, in anger and desperation.

Arthur kept pushing on, trying to kill as many of them as he could, and to make sure neither of them got shot as well. “Too damn close,” Arthur said to himself after he felt a bullet whizzing past his leg, he shot the fucker who tried to kill him shortly afterwards. He hadn’t been in such a firefight since the bank job in Saint Denis, and he sure as hell didn’t miss it at all.

Sadie shouted to him as the outside of the ranch was clear. “Okay. You take the barn, I’ll take the farmhouse. And remember… if he’s fat, and he’s got a beard, he’s mine!”

Arthur ran into the barn, guns blazing, “Who’s in here? The lady outside don’t want none of you coming out of here. One of the bastards were behind him but Arthur shot him easily. Another feller lunged at him, knocking Arthur flat and his gun out of his hands. He quickly broke free and started to beat the other man, wanting to get it done with as quickly as possible. He snatched his gun and shot the man in the head.

“The barn’s clear!” Arthur shouted to Sadie as she walked towards the main house.

She replied back to him, “Goin’ into the farmhouse now!”

Arthur nodded, looting the dead O’Driscolls for whatever he could find. They didn’t have too much on them. He put his hat back on and exited the barn, walking over to the house. He opened the door and saw nothing but he heard a struggle upstairs. He unholstered his revolver just in case and ran up the stairs. He turned the corner and saw Sadie with a knife in her hand, stabbing the man.

“You bastard piece of shit!” She scowled at the man, attacking him furiously. “I told you, you’d see me again!” She stabbed the man with her knife right through the heart.

Arthur slowly walked towards Sadie, letting her compose herself. She tried to wipe the blood off herself. “You okay?” Arthur’s voice was laced with caring, even if he didn’t care for himself.

Sadie took the sweat off her forehead, “Yeah… he was a good man, my Jakey.” Arthur took over a chair and Sadie sat down, sighing. Her voice started to break, “We was always sweet on one another,” She wiped her eyes, feeling the pain all over again. Arthur gently patted her shoulder, which she appreciated.

“I’m sure,” Arthur’s voice was low and calm, unlike how he felt.

Sadie went on, allowing herself to break, “I miss him every day, every moment.” Arthur leaned on the banister, listening intently, “They turned me into a monster, Arthur. But my memories of him… they still pure.”

Arthur shook his head, “I ain’t even got that.”

Sadie sniffed her nose, wiping it, looking into Arthur’s blue eyes. “Aside from my Jake… you’re the best man I’ve known.”

Arthur let out a little chuckle, “I know the company you keep… the competition ain’t too fierce,” Even Sadie let out a small smile at that.

Arthur continued on, “We, um… we should get away from here.”

Sadie stood up, nodding, she walked down the stairs, Arthur took one last look and followed her. Sadie opened the door, walking out to the fresh air, they whistled for their horses.

“I think I need to be alone for a bit.”

“I understand. You um, might wanna get yourself cleaned up.” He gestured to Sadie’s bloodstained clothing.

Sadie smirked, before turning sincere again, “Thank you, Arthur.”

Arthur nodded and Sadie climbed on Bob, riding away to the landscape, leaving Arthur with Hercules.


	2. You can never fight nature... or gravity

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey all! this is the second chapter which is significantly longer. hope y'all enjoy!!

Arthur and Sadie met up with each other near Moonstone Pond and rode back to Beaver Hollow in comfortable silence or little to no talking. Arthur was thinking about how it went so wrong. Sean… died in a goddamn ambush because the gang was too gung-ho about playing both sides for gold that weren’t there. Kieran was killed by Colm, a horrible and painful death, Arthur assumed. He felt incredibly guilty about Kieran’s death, only 2 people noticed he was gone. Mary-Beth and Susan. Hosea’s death had broken him, he had died without fear in the last seconds, facing Milton head on. The look he gave him and John before turning around would haunt him forever. If Hosea’s death had broken him, then Lenny’s had grounded the broken parts of his heart down to dust. He had such a bright future ahead of him, smart and compassionate. He had sent the kid on a death mission, asking Lenny to come with him on the rooftops. He had frozen when it happened, having to be dragged to the others practically. They were lucky John was still alive, not hung but sent to Sisika. Arthur smiled to himself, him and Sadie made quite a team, apparently. He gave Hercules a pat on the neck and looked towards Sadie, she had a tight grip on the rope and a pale face. He understood the feeling. Eliza and Isaac… he found the bastards who did it a couple weeks afterwards, didn’t help with the grief at all. He gave them all slow deaths, it felt good at the time but ultimately made him hollow inside.  Beaver Hollow never looked as welcoming until now, Arthur was starving and wanted to cook some food. Pearson had fully went to the bottle, it was scary. The gang, breaking apart so easily. The past few weeks really opened Arthur to the rot inside of the gang, one death… Hosea, was enough to split the gang in two, scrapping at each other, ready to kill one another. It broke Arthur’s heart to see it, only a couple months ago, the gang had been singing at Jack’s returning home party. Javier playing his guitar, everyone singing the songs. Maybe it was good, the gang breaking off, the only question was. How many lives would it take in its wake, Arthur had prepared himself to die, he had done since Guarma. The only thing was, getting Charles, Sadie, John and his family out. The rest can go rot. He hitched up Hercules beside Bob, tipping his hat to Sadie and walking towards the camp fires. Mary-Beth was quietly confiding with Tilly, hushed whispers and worried faces.

“M’ladies.” Arthur said to them as he sat down beside the fire, taking his hat off and wiping the sweat off his forehead.

They broke from their conversation and sweetly smiled at Arthur.

Tilly went first, “How you doing, Arthur?”

Arthur shrugged, “Jus’ fine, Tilly, what about you two?”

Mary-Beth sighed, “We’re really worried Arthur, the Pinkerton’s could come marching through any day now, and with all you men squabbling, we’ll all be killed in an instant.”

“I’ll keep y’all safe, no matter what. When this thing is over, I’ll get all of you somewhere safe, I promise.”

Tilly smiled at him, the only bright thing around this place. “You’re a good man, Arthur. One of the best, always looking out for us, we will all do right by you, too.” Tilly and Mary-Beth said sweetly to Arthur, making the man blush.

“Just, keep a lookout, alright? Things might get messy.” Arthur muttered as he stuffed his face with cooked rabbit, absolutely famished.

Mary-Beth chuckled at the sight, “Sure thing, Mister Morgan.”

Arthur wiped his mouth and lit a cigarette, walking over to his tent, hoping for some peace for once. He sat down on his cot, smoke in the air. He stared at the photo of Him, Dutch and Hosea for a long, long time. The last remnant of the little family they had, the picture was faded but he could still make out his barely grown stubble and Hosea’s less prominent wrinkles. He couldn’t stare at it any longer though, that bank job in Saint Denis kept rushing back to him. Instead, Arthur looked at the picture of him and Copper, what a good dog he had been, stayed with Arthur through thick and thin. He loved that dog and was heartbroken when he died. The drizzling rain woke him from his daze. The evening sun was setting, another day without dying. That was good enough for himself. Jack was looking for Cain, the dog, Micah was and Arthur’s hair at the back of his neck stood up, on edge. He made his way over, leaving his old hat on the bed.

“Where’s Cain? Has anyone seen Cain? Where’s Cain?” Jack shouted, toddling over to Susan.

“Miss Grimshaw, have you seen Cain?”

Susan stopped her cleaning to answer the boy, “No, son, sorry I haven’t. I’m sure hell turn up though, he’s a wanderer.”

Jack giggled, walking off again, Micah was reading a newspaper at the table closest to Dutch’s tent, no surprises there. Arthur followed Jack, making sure the boy didn’t get into no trouble.

“Cain, Cain where are you?” Jack asked, looking into the caves.

Micah turned his head towards Jack, “Hey kid… the dog is gone. You can be quiet now.”

Jack’s face was unwavering, still determined to find the animal, “He’ll… he’ll come back. Cain… Cain!”

Micah folded his newspaper over his lap, gesturing for the young boy to come over, “Come here… come here, Jack.”

Jack made his way over, unsure of what Micah wanted. Arthur tensed himself, ready to step in at any time.

“The dog ain’t coming back… now, get lost!” Micah laughed sickly.

Jack ran away with a quivering lip and runny nose, Arthur was absolutely disgusted, he wanted to drag Micah out back, there and then and shoot him in the head.

“What the hell did you do to the dog?” Arthur pressed Micah, angrily.

“Must’ve run away… dumb mutt.”

Arthur was furious, voice low and threatening, “You bastard.”

Micah simply walked away as if nothing happened, leaving Arthur all the more frustrated. The sun had already came down, shrouding the camp in darkness. These days, Arthur was almost afraid to go asleep, with the camp so divided and harsh. The cot was better tan being 6 feet under so Arthur couldn’t really complain.

~

Arthur saw the Native Americans and Dutch along the cliff, he already had a bad feeling about this.

Dutch was at the wagon on the cliff, “So good of you to join us.”

“What’s going on?” All of this spelled trouble to Arthur.

“Rebellion, the smell of cordite and integrity. It is a beautiful thing.”

“What are you all doing?”

Dutch continued on, “An eye for an eye. We didn’t start his, Arthur. They did.”

“We? This ain’t our fight.”

“It surely is.”

Arthur was dumbstruck by Dutch’s attitude, he was gonna get them all killed, “Whatever it is you’re planning… it ain’t a good idea. They _want_ you to fight.”

Eagle flies piped up, walking beside Dutch, “Nobody will be killed.”

Dutch backed the young man, “We’re just gonna trap a few of them in the valley… disarm them… tar and feather them… and remind them to leave these boys alone.”

Arthur was raging, Dutch cared more about making sure the tension between the Native Americans and the army got worse, rather than the women and Jack back home at Beaver Hollow, if you could even call it a home. “You have energy for pranks?”

“Come on, Arthur. It’s just tweaking Uncle Sam’s nose a little. I need you to help me.”

Arthur followed Dutch, the older man carrying dynamite. “Besides, it’s perfect… people will see these boys, they wont notice us and they’ll think we’re gone. Everyone will blame everything on the Indian problem, and we’ll disappear…  up the river. But first we need to trap them in this pass… help me dynamite up these trees.”

“So… you’re using them?”

“No, sir, no… never… but, it is mutually beneficial to draw attention to one problem and a veil over another.”

Arthur thought Dutch was just spouting bullshit as usual, “These are good people… but their situation is real complex, we ain’t helping them.”

“Sure, we are. Come on, let’s get this done.”

Arthur picked up the spool, following Dutch and his crazy ideas. Eagle flies shouted in the distance about not having a lot of time, although Arthur would rather if this whole thing didn’t happen at all. Dutch planted the dynamite on the tree as Arthur ran the wire. He set the spool down and cut the wire with his knife, attaching the end to the dynamite.

Dutch talked as Arthur worked, “I sent for some of that dynamite, you and Bill commandeered in Van Horn. Good work with that, by the way.”

Arthur scoffed, running the wire to the next tree. “Bill played drunk.”

“The perfect man for the job.”

Arthur did the same thing again, cutting the wire and attaching it to the dynamite. Only one more tree to go. Arthur brought the spool with him. “So, you finally got to see Colm hang.”

“Yeah… after all those years. Hard to believe… oh, but it was worth the wait. See, we’re tying up the loose ends, Arthur, one by one.”

Arthur nodded wordlessly, not really playing attention. Eagle Flies shouted to them about how they should come back up and that the patrol should be coming any minute. Arthur ran up the hill alongside Dutch, still not one bit sure about Dutch’s ‘plan’. Arthur crouched on the cliff edge, beside Dutch.

“Okay, that’s the signal. Here they come. Stay low and quiet.” Eagle Flies muttered to the group.

“You sure you don’t want me to man that plunger, Arthur?” Dutch asked him, condescendingly.

Arthur grumbled, “No, I got it.”

Dutch rolled his eyes, “Oh, remove the weight of the world from your shoulders for a minute. Like I said, we’re just going to give them a bit of a scare.”

Arthur saw the patrol slowly moving in the distance, unknowing of their fate.

Eagle Flies commented on the patrol, getting ready, “There they are… looks like more than we thought.”

Dutch waved him off, “It’s fine, we’re only here to talk and administer a little good old-fashioned humiliation. You’re owed that, son, at the very least. Everyone just stay calm. We’ve got the upper hand here.”

Arthur saw his chance and detonated the dynamite, the trees trapping the men.

Eagle Flies aimed his rifle at the patrol. “Put your hands up. You’re surrounded. Nobody need get hurt. Your humiliation of us has gone on quite enough.”

One of the men shouted back to them, “This ain’t a good idea.”

Eagle Flies interrupted him, “Put down your guns.”

“You are making a mistake, boy.”

Eagle flies cocked his rifle and Dutch walked over to the edge, “No, you’re making a mistake.” He aimed his revolver at the soldier, “Put your hands up, soldier, take a little humiliation and leave these fine folks alone.”

“Who are you?”

“A concerned citizen.”

“Is that so?”

A patrol further down the role cried out, “They’re being ambushed!”

Arthur’s heart was thumping in his chest, now was not the time to tweak Uncle Sam’s nose, at all. “We should move.”

Dutch laughed it off, “No, no, no, no, not quite yet… Soldier, you and your friends are going to tuck tail and run off? Run!”

The patrol was bewildered, “Excuse me?”

“I’m getting bored of this.” Dutch moaned, shortly afterwards, a soldier fired a shot at the group of Native Americans and outlaws. “Your friends fired first, soldier!”

The woodland suddenly erupted with gunfire and shouting. Arthur got out the Litchfield repeater and was trying to make short work of the soldiers, hell… these could be decent folk, it weren’t too fair for them to get the punishment that Colonel Favours deserved, that’s for sure. The Native Americans beside him were shooting their arrows with a scary efficiency, like Charles could do. Another patrol turned up and still, Dutch showed no signs of backing off and even encouraged all the mayhem raging around them. The soldiers started to flank them, coming up on the left. Arthur felt a guilt, shooting all these men that were just trying to do their jobs, not realising the death-trap they had found themselves going in to.

After the field started to clear, Arthur started to panic. “You fools, you damn fools, it’s the army!”

Dutch waved him off… yet again, “It is one regiment of pastry chefs and bullies, watch your goddamn mouth. All of you… take what you can, and then we move out!”

“Move now, we have to move now.” Arthur pleaded.

Eagle Flies went along with Dutch, “Search these men quickly, then we move.”

“This is crazy, why aren’t we getting out of here?” Arthur said this after he looted a poor soldier, with a letter from his father.

“They might have information on them that will help our friends with their cause.”

“We need anything my father can use to strengthen our case.” Arthur felt bad for Eagle Flies and his tribe, none of them deserved any of this.

“I ain’t sure much is gonna strengthen your case after this,” Arthur replied through his bandanna.

“Find anything?” Dutch asked the group.

“Yes… some poor fool from New Jersey. These boys ain’t the problem, they’re only kids.”

Arthur walked across the road, suddenly something exploded just mere meters away from where he was standing… the army.

Dutch shouted to the group, pulling out his revolvers, “Shit! Everyone keep your heads down! We’re gonna get out of this.”

Eagle Flies cried out in pain, “No! My brothers! Paytah, are you alright?”

Arthur could hear the other man replying as a tree fell down, this was pure and utter chaos. Dutch was egging the Native Americans on like the madman he was becoming. “Just hold your ground. Surrender and they’ll hang you all.”

Arthur ran up the hill, taking out the spotter on the cannon quickly, reducing the danger by a long shot, of course. Taking out the canon wouldn’t stop multiple soldiers gunning them down as best they could.

“Where’s Paytah?” Eagle Flies asked. Just then, the army fanfare started to ring out from Fort Wallace.

“Damn, they’re sending riders out from the fort, we need to leave.” Arthur tried to warn and usher them all.

Eagle Flies still insisted, “But where’s Paytah? Was he killed?... he’s alive.” Eagle Flies pointed to the stumbling young man down the hill.

Arthur felt a rage going through his veins, ready to consume him. “Well, that went just about according to plan.”

“I’m trying. I’m trying, Arthur, with everything I have… and I will keep trying… and you’ll keep doubting me… and we’ll keep failing.” Each word, Dutch’s composure was slipping and his newfound insanity was growing.

“It ain’t like that, Dutch.” Arthur tried his damn hardest to get through to the older man, “Look at me. Look at me!”

Dutch finally turned his head to the younger and frustrated man. “I’m just… I’m worried about folk.” His voice was rising.

“I know, I…” Dutch was cut off by an explosion, quickly cutting off the conversation. A cannon ball exploded right in front off them, Arthur jumping back quickly.

“We should go,” Dutch muttered as he started to walk.

Arthur hung back, “Where’s Eagle Flies?”

“Run, son!” Dutch shouted back to him as they ran for dear life. “Run! Come one! This area’s gonna be crawling with soldiers in a few minutes, we gotta leave. Now.”

“What about Eagle Flies?” Arthur shouted as he sprinted to Hercules, his ever-faithful stallion.

Dutch mounted The Count, “We gotta go, Arthur. Come one.”

Arthur followed Dutch down the path, trying to push the black Arabian faster, he was already imagining the headlines.

“Left here. Into the trees!” Dutch shouted as he veered left, suddenly.

They rode on a little further into the bush before Dutch stopped them. “Okay, let’s dismount here, we won’t get the horses down this path.”

Arthur quickly dismounted Hercules and sent the horse running, hopefully he would be safe.

“Alright. Let’s carry on by foot, try and sell them a little snake oil.”

“You think?”

“It’s all I got.”

The two outlaws ran down the path, dodging flying bullets and angry herds of soldiers. Luckily, there weren’t as many of the soldiers this time, otherwise they may as well have jumped off the cliff, both were equally as suicidal and dangerous. Arthur felt his bandanna slipping but quickly pulled it up again, there was no need for the army to find out who they were, certainly wouldn’t help their situation, although Dutch seems to not care about that, no more. They ran down the pass, the little dirt path getting narrower and narrower by the meter. Arthur quickly got himself behind a rock and fired at the soldiers with the high ground, hoping to kill them. It seemed as though they were getting overwhelmed, every time Arthur killed one soldier, five more seemed to appear out of absolutely nowhere.

“There’s too many Arthur, fall back!” Dutch said to his brother in arms as he ran down the path even further, forcing Arthur to come with him. “This is a losing battle, Arthur. Oh, we gotta do something.” Dutch shouted.

Arthur sprinted down even farther, until he realised something and his breathing started to hitch. They were trapped, they were fucking trapped. The bridge broke and there is no way out of here apart from where the soldiers are. He started to panic, looking around wildly in desperation.

“It’s a dead end!” Arthur’s voice wavered as he looked over the edge, allowing panic to creep into his voice. “This is it… this is…” Arthur started to breath harder and faster, realising how bad their situation was in. All them folk, he was gonna die on them because of Dutch’s bullshit plans.

“Well, Arthur…”

“Put your hands up!” The regiment leader said to them, all the guns aimed directly at the pair of outlaws.

Dutch took a glance towards the water and back to Arthur.

“I said put your damn hands up!”

“Okay. Okay.”

Dutch muttered quietly to Arthur, who was unsure of what to do, “Follow my lead. I got a plan. This is a good one.”

Arthur had to hold back a bitter chuckle, a plan? This will end well, of course it will.

“Hello, officers.” Dutch holstered his double revolvers.

“You keep your hands up and come here,”

Dutch grinned, “Hello Captain,” He slowly started to back up and Arthur did the same, feeling the blood pumping around his body.

“Come here.” The soldier asked, gun threatening them.

“We, uh… we can’t do that. Your men… those men they killed… they were good men.” The outlaws were getting closer and closer to the edge, Arthur’s heart was racing.

“You’re fighting nature, Captain” Dutch continued with his mad rambling.

“Get over here!”

“Ask my friend here… my whole life I tried to fight change. It’s a waste… I see that now… it’s a waste. You can’t fight nature, Captain. You can’t fight change… you cant fight… gravity.”

Arthur followed Dutch’s lead, jumping into the blue abyss below them, halfway through the drop, Arthur felt his bandanna fly off, so much for keeping cover. This was just like Guarma all over again, the water piecing their skin and clothes. Arthur coughed up the water, trying to thread water, following Dutch. He heard gunshots up above but wasn’t able to see who was firing, so all he could do was hope for the best. He saw Dutch by the shore and swam towards him, feeling his muscles burn at every stroke.

Dutch outstretched his arm, “Come here, big boy… I got you. We’re okay… you’re okay.”

Arthur regained his lost breath, standing up and looking at the cliffside. “What a goddamn mess.”

“I know, but a mess is what we need. We just escaped from chaos. Eagle Flies must have been taken.”

Arthur wanted to light a cigarette but he was soaking, there was no point. “Taken… or killed.”

“Well, we can’t go find out.”

Arthur shook his head, bitter laugh creeping up, “No, certainly not now.”

“Charles… we’ll send him. Where is he?” Dutch looked at the other man who was leaning on the rock, glaring daggers at him.

“Probably back at camp, where else would he be, Dutch?” An attitude was in his voice, Arthur was ready to argue with Dutch if needs be.

Dutch rolled his eyes, “What’s with the attitude, Arthur?

Arthur finally let his fury out, “Oh I don’t know, Dutch. Not like we fucking took the army head on! The hell you thinking, getting involved with this? This ain’t our fight. You are making this worse for all of us, the Natives and us. Tell me, Dutch. Do you care more about causing chaos for the shits and giggles or the gang, the family?” Arthur stared Dutch right in the eye, wet hair hanging over his eyes.

Dutch’s voice was low, he was more mad than Arthur had ever seen. “I have already said this, Arthur. I will do whatever it takes for us to survive, I said it in Guarma, seems you need to calm down, _old friend.”_

“Unbelievable… is this surviving Dutch? What have we come too? No worse than Colm O’Driscoll, and look where he ended up. You and Micah will damn us and hang us all, Dutch.” Arthur spat, walking off, leaving the man he once thought he knew… dumbstruck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if ya want you can review, only if you want to though!! and have a nice day : ) i really love Dutch's speech at the end of this mission. so iconic. i turned the ending angsty because i felt like, if arthur weren't dying, he'd stand up more to dutch i guess


	3. The Prison Escape of '99

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey y'all, this chapter took FOREVER to write, so have fun with it, i guess!

Arthur found himself in Wapiti, feeling immense guilt for what Dutch did. He walked over to Charles.

“Arthur,” Charles greeted the older man, guiding him to the tent.

Arthur replied back, “Hello Charles.”

“Thank you for coming.”

“’Course.”

“The chief… he’s, uh… he’s very… maybe you could speak to him?” Charles asked awkwardly.

Arthur nodded, sigh escaping his mouth, “Yes, that’s why I came.”

“He’s in his tent.”

“Sure.”

Charles walked over to Taima, “I’ll wait for you here.”

Arthur made his way over to the tent, opening the flaps.

“Come in,” Rains Fall said softly.

“Mister Morgan, I’m so glad you could make it,” Rains Fall said to the outlaw when he entered the tent.

“How are you?” Arthur sat down opposite the chief.

Rains Fall stopped for a couple seconds before answering, “My son… my son is foolish but he’s still my son.”

“I know your son, a little. He’s very brave… very angry. He’s me.”

“How is your father?”.

Arthur shook his head, “He’s dead a long long time and lived a lot longer than was good for any of us.”

“My son probably wishes the same to me,” He laughed softly, perhaps to hide the pain.

“I doubt that,” Arthur tried to reassure the man.

“I want peace, I need my people to be safe. All my life, I’ve tried to bring peace… but I love my son. They’ll hang him for treason… treason. He is the chief’s son of a proud nation. How could he commit treason? Everyone has lied to my people for a hundred years or more… that’s treason.” The chief said, not angrily but defeated.

Arthur was wordless, the way the Native American’s were being treated was horrendous, they were more hated by the government up in Washington than the gang.

“What should I do?”

“I don’t think there’s much chance reasoning with Colonel Favours…”

Rains Falls cut him off, “No, and any chance we had, your friend Mister Van der Linde, has ensured relations between us and the army are worse than any point in the last five years. I’m sure he means well, but matters are more complex than he understands.”

Arthur sighed, trying to think of a way to help the poor man, “Me and Charles will try and rescue your son.”

“No…”

“Yes… yes. I ain’t looking to cause more trouble for no one, less to help and you got… I’m doing this,” Arthur replied quickly, leaving the tent, it was the least he could do since he helped Dutch and his mad plans.

“Charles! Where are you?” Arthur questioned, quickly scanning the surroundings for the other man. “Come on, lets go. We need to get his son back, of course. I just ain’t sure how.”

Charles mounted Taima, “I’ve been working on that. I think there’s a way. Follow me.”

Arthur followed Charles down the dirt path.

“So, I’ve been scouting the fort. The army are patrolling all the main roads and bridges in and out, but, if we can get the horses across the river. I found a route that should get us in fairly close. If we wait until late enough, there’s a place we should be able to sneak in around the back.”

Arthur listened intently, “Okay, whatever you think. I trust you.”

“No guns. Just knives and arrows. If we start making a lot of noise, he’ll be dead before we get close to him. I left 2 canoes down river, in case we need another way out of there.”

“I must say Charles, you plan like Hosea, always more than one way for each part.” Arthur said fondly, taking the other man aback.

Charles smiled, although Arthur couldn’t see it, “The man knew how to plan, taught me how to, one night, in Horseshoe.”

Arthur scoffed, “Hosea was always the teachin’ type.”

They were silent for a couple minutes until Charles needed to get something off his chest and he could only trust Arthur. “This wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for Dutch.”

Arthur agreed with him, but partially. “I guess you’re right, although I shouldn’t have helped them at all, knew it was wrong but Dutch didn’t wanna listen to me, not that he ever listens to anyone but Micah now.”

Charles grew angry at the situation, not at the man riding alongside him, Hosea did this too, “He saw Eagle Flies burned hot, and he fanned the flames. He’s not helping that tribe, he’s helping himself. You see that, or you wouldn’t have gone to Rains Fall behind his back.”

“Your right, as usual. I just keep thinking, there must be a way to save the situation, to pull Dutch out of the place he’s in, and… well, I… I like Rains Fall.”

Charles took a right, “I don’t know, Arthur. Rains Fall is in a tough situation, and as for _Dutch,_ ” Charles practically spat the leaders name out.

“I gotta try, I owe him that, at least.”

“You feel that? There’s rain on the wind.”

Arthur nodded, “I know… listen Charles. If it goes bad in there… you get yourself and the boy out. Folk need you a lot more than they need me.”

“No. Come on, don’t start talking like that.”

“I know, just, I ain’t that important, surprised I ain’t dead already, if I’m honest. But you? You have a whole life in front of you, you could still have kids, a family, a life… beyond whatever the hell you call this is.”

“Oh, Arthur. Any die, we could die, hell, we could die tonight. Don’t start to put yourself down, folk love you, even though you can’t see it. What about Sadie? She asked no one else to kill the last of the O’Driscolls and she helped you get John out of Sisika. It isn’t love but it’s sure as hell something. What about little Jack? His face lights up every time he sees his Uncle Arthur.”

Arthur didn’t want to accept the praise, “What about all them other folk, like that debtor from Valentine, Thomas Downes. He was dyin’ of some sickness and I beat him to death, lucky I didn’t get it myself, God knows, he could have had tuberculosis or something.”

“Arthur, you have the rest of your life to make amends. The others… Hosea, Lenny, Sean, all them. They didn’t. What about the Callander boys? Both killed trying to escape Blackwater. A more vicious pair of bastards there never was, and that’s all they ever were and will be.”

“Maybe,” Arthur said quietly. He wasn’t a good man, far from it, so why was he still here? He did enough bad things to last him 3 lifetimes, unlike poor Lenny, he didn’t even get to his 20th birthday.

“You’re lucky. You got the chance to… to do something better. My guess is maybe that’s why you’re here now. Either way, don’t put yourself down like that, stay strong and we’re close now.” Charles reassured him.

Arthur patted Hercules as he waded through the river, trying to get to the other side.

“Are you alright?” Charles asked.

“I think so, that current’s strong.”

Charles rode up the hill, “Up here, follow me.”

Arthur shook the water off his hat, it was dripping down from the edges, “You were right about the damn rain.

“Yeah, but might help us with sneaking in there… so Rains Fall told me there was some retaliation after the meeting with Colonel Favours, some women were taken, elders beaten.”

Arthur felt a chill run up his spine, and it wasn’t from the rain, “Bastards.”

“Yeah, this isn’t gonna be nice.” Charles muttered as they got closer to the fort.

They dismounted and led their horses to a patch of trees not too far away from their destination.

“Alright, this should be fine,” Charles said as he tied up Taima. “Let’s get ourselves hidden and wait until it gets dark, over here.”

~

“I guess this is it,” Charles mumbled.

Arthur nodded, slinging his bow over his shoulder, “I guess it is.”

“Let’s keep quiet and try to find a way in,” Charles started to move quietly.

Arthur pulled up his bandana and did the same, following the man.

“Main thing is that they don’t hear us. Ready?”

Luckily, the rain drowned over their sunken footsteps in the muddy grass. The night was as silent as a graveyard, the pattering of rain on the ground and on the fort was the only sound around. Arthur decided that he liked the sound of rain, the way it trickled down clothes was a bit inconvenient but it sounded pretty as it pitter-pattered on the wood of Fort Wallace.

“Patrol group. Hopefully we’ll be in and out before they can come back around,” Charles said quietly.

Arthur and Charles hid behind a cluster of rocks, waiting for the patrols to pass, it reminded Arthur of sneaking into Sisika. Once the patrol left, the two outlaws drew their bows.

“You take one, I’ll take the other,” Arthur muttered, aiming at his target.

Charles nodded, drawing his bow, Arthur let fire first and then a second later, Charles let go. The 2 guards were killed instantly and silently.

“Good, let’s make our way around the back,” Charles said as he put himself to the fort’s wooden walls, slowly making his way across.

Arthur pressed himself against the wall, following Charles’ every move.

“Careful, there’s a guard up there,” Charles pointed above them, a man was standing with a lantern in one hand, gun in the other. They slowly creeped across, staying in the shadows and avoiding the moonlight. The guard looked down and Arthur stopped breathing, in fear of setting off an alarm but luckily the guard deemed everything to be secure, leaving the edge.

“Okay, let’s  go.”

The two men made their way around until they saw soldiers, strolling around the outside of the perimeter, possibly on break, Arthur thought to himself.

“Shh, wait,” Charles kept his body steady, trying not to make his shoes squelch in the mud. The two guards, one on top, and one on ground level where talking to each other, rather loudly, breaking the eerie silence that Arthur found comfort in.

“Two more. One in the tower, one on the ground, same as before, you take one, I got the other.”

Arthur followed Charles’ lead, drawing his bow, he aimed for the man up on the tower and thankfully got him in one shot, Charles easily killed the other man.

“Good, just a bit further on here… this is the spot.”

Charles took out his rope, with a hook attached to the end and started swinging the rope, gaining momentum. After a few swings, he threw it up to the fort, the hook catching on the fence… perfect. Charles went first and then Arthur, making their steady ascent to the fort… easy as you’d like.

Charles climbed over the fence and hid behind crates and Arthur hid behind barrels, he got his throwing knives out and started to grip them in his hand, ready to throw.

“Guard up ahead, have you got a shot on him?” Charles asked.

Arthur looked at the soldier and then nodded, he threw the knife into the soldier’s neck, silencing any cries for help. As they made their way onwards, Arthur took back his knife and wiped it on the hem of his sleeve. He needed as many weapons as he could get if this whole thing turned hairy. They walked into the outpost and pressed themselves against the wall, a soldier was there at the end of the walkway. Arthur nodded to Charles and unsheathed his knife, slowly making his way towards the unsuspecting soldier. Arthur slit the man’s throat and gently put him down, as to not make a loud noise. They continued down the path, seeing two soldiers talking to each other, Charles hid behind the fence and Arthur hid behind the barrel. Arthur drew his bow again, just like Charles.

“Careful. Two more, one each again?” Charles asked, Arthur silently nodded, letting his arrow loose and Charles did the same.

They were nearing where Eagle Flies was meant to be, hopefully the young man was still okay and alive. They walked into another tower, Arthur covered Charles as he killed the soldier swiftly.

“The cells should be just down this way,” Charles pointed out to Arthur. They walked down the steps and hid behind wooden crates, Arthur climbed up the tower to try and distract the countless guards. Charles said for him to try start a fire, Arthur grinned to himself, now that, he could do. He climbed up the rungs as quietly as possible, making his way to the walkway. He threw a knife at the soldier’s throat who was standing guard. He drew his bone and let the arrow loose at the lantern… success. The wood and canvas went up in flames and the soldiers came running to help put it out. He could hear Charles calling to him so he jumped down, re-joining the man.

“Quickly, the cells are just in here,” Charles quickly entered and saw a soldier taunting Eagle Flies, Charles stabbed him in the throat.

“Arthur Morgan? Charles? Is that you?” Eagle Flies’ voice was weak and pained. “Look for the keys… you have to get me out of here.”

Arthur found the keys in the soldier’s jacket, “Got ‘em.” He said, quickly opening the door. Eagle Flies was strung up and beaten, it reminded Arthur of himself in Colm O’Driscoll’s hands not so long ago. He cut the rope with his knife.

“Come on. Your father sent us.” Arthur said quickly, helping the young man up.

“My father… he told you to come and kill guards?”

Arthur led Eagle Flies out of his cell, “No, he didn’t say that he…”

“Of course not,” Eagle Flies said angrily.

Arthur looked the boy over, looking for an bone breaks, “You okay?”

“Sure, I enjoy being tortured, clears the mind,” Eagle Flies said sarcastically.

Arthur smirked, “If you say so… woah woah,” Eagle Flies tried to walk but stumbled.

“I’m fine, I’m fine,” He tried to reassure the outlaws.

The horn started to go, they were caught. Arthur quickly crashed through the door and got out his Litchfield repeater, ready to fight. His main priority was saving Eagle Flies and protecting him and Charles, nothing more. “Damn it, we’ll have to shoot our way out!” Arthur told the other men, shooting soldiers.

Soldiers were shooting from the towers, but Arthur made quick work of them, for the army, these people weren’t too tough, Arthur thought to himself… Sadie would eat them alive. Charles started to push up and Arthur covered them, keeping his eye out for any men who felt brave that night. It felt surreal when it felt like time slowed and Arthur hit three men in the head in a row, a new record… not one to be proud of, though. The horses were going mad in the stables, bucking any unlucky soul who tried to mount them.

“Look out, there’s some up top there!” Charles shouted to Arthur.

He quickly scanned the walkways and saw soldiers, they were all easy to shoot as none of them had enough brains to take cover. Arthur thought to himself, this sounds like one of the stories Jack would read when he gets a bit older, three men trying to escape an army fortress, who would have thought it? This time last year, they were planning Blackwater and where they would be going after the heist goes well… now look where they are.

“This way, I remember seeing a hole in one of the walls when they brought me in,” Eagle Flies pointed in one direction and the others followed. “Damn, they must have fixed it,” Eagle Flies said angrily.

“Arthur deal with this, would you?” Charles said urgently.

Arthur nodded, getting a stick of dynamite from his satchel and putting it on the wall, striking a match and lighting it. The wall was smashed to pieces, “We’re through, let’s go!” Arthur let Charles and Eagle Flies out first, keeping watch for any stray soldiers. He whistled for Hercules and got on quickly, spurring the horse on.

“Here, come on! Get on!” Charles lifted Eagle Flies onto Taima, who stood her ground loyally.

Arthur shot the soldiers who were running out to them quickly, wanting to keep Eagle Flies as safe as he could possibly be. They rode down the hill, Charles shouted something about the canoes down the river, Arthur didn’t particularly care whether it was horses or canoes, just as long as they all make it out alive.

“Shit, we got company behind us!” Arthur shouted as he looked back and saw riders from the fort chasing them.

Charles turned right, trying to avoid as many soldiers as he could. “Ahead of us, down this way!” he shouted to Arthur.

Arthur shot the remaining men as Charles and Eagle Flies got on a canoe. There was only 2 men left so Arthur got it done pretty quickly.

“Quick, get in the other canoe and let’s go, Arthur!” Charles shouted as Arthur clambered on the small boat, getting his paddle.

“Well, we made it this far. Let’s get outta here.” The younger man muttered as he directed the canoe downstream.

Eagle Flies scowled, “They’ll pay for this. They’ll wish they killed me when they had a chance.”

Charles tried to calm him down, “Let’s just get you to safety first, my friend.”

“It’s like Dutch said, they only have power when you allow them to have it.”

“Well, Dutch says a lot of things.”

Arthur commented, “This is some swell.”

Charles shouted back to him, “Watch yourself! Last thing we need is one of us going in.”

“Believe me, that ain’t my plan,” Arthur joked. Arthur shot two soldiers on the shore, making quick work of them.

“The water should be calmer ahead, we just need to keep going,” Charles tried to ease the group’s fears.

They guided the canoes under a bridge, Arthur turned himself around to shoot the fellers who were on top of the bridge one by one, they all fell into the murky water below. There was rocks and rapids up ahead, so much for Charles saying the waters got calmer, cause they shit sure ain’t been calm so far. More riders calm to the shoreline, trying to calm their frenzied horses, Arthur took advantage of that and shot the men while they were trying to sooth the horses. 

“Let’s see if we can find somewhere ahead to pull in!” Charles shouted back to Arthur as the riders disappeared, making their escape from Fort Wallace official.

“Wait, no I was wrong! 2 more on the left!” Charles shouted, Arthur was about to shoot them before Eagle Flies interrupted them with an idea.

“Don’t kill their horses… we can use them to ride out of here.”

Arthur took hold of the paddle and made his way ashore, helping Eagle Flies get out of the canoe. He felt exhausted after that, although a good nights sleep would probably fix that, “I think we lost them,” He muttered to the group, trying to stifle a yawn, his arms were aching and he moved them gingerly.

“You okay, Arthur?” Charles asked caringly.

Arthur nodded through gritted teeth, “Yeah, I’m right as rain.”

He sat down beside Eagle Flies, looking at the young man’s injuries, “How are you?”

“I’ll be fine in a day or so, I heal fast,” the prince said stubbornly, “Colonel Favours won’t be too happy with your rescue.”

“I guess not.”

Eagle Flies sighed, “Yeah, there’s gonna be a lot more trouble. My father… even he may have to fight.”

Arthur tried to reason with the headstrong you man, “You won’t win… no big fight with them. Shouldn’t you all just run away?”

“Where would we go?”

“I don’t know.”

Charles spoke up, “Hey friend, let me take you back to your father.”

Eagle Flies looked back at Arthur, still sitting on the rock and flexing his arms, “Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it,” Arthur’s voice was low, like something snapped inside of him. In a way, something did, his whole life, he had unbreakable faith in Dutch, now he could barely trust the man to walk into Annesburg without starting a firefight. It sickened him, maybe he should just run… and don’t look back, like he told John. Maybe start a family? Arthur quickly shut that thought down, who the hell would have _him_ anyway?

He watched the river go by for a long time, contemplating what to do, the gang was done, that much was clear, but everything else was so very, very complicated. He still remembered the conversation he had with the nun, everything he said still applied, and as he told Sister Calderon a couple days back, what the hell was he gonna do now?

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if anyone wants to review, it would be much appreciated : )

**Author's Note:**

> hope y'all enjoy it as much as i did! also.... soft shoulder tapping.


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